Thermal, acoustic and seismic signals from pyroclastic density currents and Vulcanian explosions at Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat

We show two examples of how integrated analysis of thermal and infrasound signal can be used to obtain, in real time, information on volcanic activity. Soufrie`re Hills Volcano (SHV) on Montserrat offers the opportunity to study a large variety of processes related to lava-dome activity, such as pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) and large Vulcanian eruptions. Infrasound and thermal analysis are used to constrain the propagation of PDCs and their velocities, which are calculated here to range between 15 and 75 m s21. During the Vulcanian eruption of 5 February 2010, infrasound and thermal records allow us to identify an approximately 13 s seismic precursor possibly related to the pressuriz…